(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to automatic word processing systems and more particularly to such a system under the control of a microprocessor incorporating a programmable read-only memory.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
There are numerous examples of automatic typewriting systems in the prior art all of which exhibit certain common characteristics. In particular, the equivalent of a typewriter keyboard is used as an input device with the typed characters simultaneously being printed and stored in a recording means. Typically, the entered data will either have to be duplicated many times or there will be substantial corrections in the final copy and hence the purpose for recording the typed characters is to permit the material to be printed under operator control at a considerably increased speed. Typically, numerous rates of replay control are provided so that the operator may duplicate unchanged portions of text at high speed and then playback portions to be corrected more slowly on a word by word, or character by character basis. Normally, some means is provided to rerecord the data, together with the corrections and revisions so that a final copy may be played back and printed at high speed without further revision.
In the past, such word processing systems have had certain drawbacks. In particular, a modified conventional typewriter has been used as the keyboard and printer which limited, in some instances, the output format and the speed of operation. Additionally, when revised textual material was being printed, elaborate precautions normally had to be taken in order to prevent the right margin being reached in the middle of a word.
In particular, numerous words were normally hyphenated so that the machine could execute a carriage return when the hyphen was reached and not the unhyphenated middle of a word. While unnecessary hyphens were not printed out on the final copy, much time and effort was expended in originally inserting them to prevent encountering problems at the right margin of a line. Numerous attempts have been made to modify equipment mainly intended for manual operation in order for use in automatic word processing systems. While these prior art systems are workable, full advantage is not taken of the speed of the automatic portions of such systems.
Thus, there has long been a need in the field of automatic word-processing systems for an integrated input-output and control system which would be more fully automatic in operation and take more full advantage of the automatic processing portion of the system to eliminate as much operator intervention as possible. The present invention satisfies that need.